


Daisies for Hades

by BeesBeanie



Series: KakaIru Event Submissions [5]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Hades/Persephone Mythos, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), M/M, Meet-Cute, Mentions of Death and the Dead, No Character Death, flower shop, modern mythology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29171454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeesBeanie/pseuds/BeesBeanie
Summary: Daisies symbolize new beginnings… What could be in store for the lord of the underworld when he catches a whiff of something new in his realm?KakaIru Exchange 2020 |
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Series: KakaIru Event Submissions [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924447
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30
Collections: A Very Special KakaIru Exchange!





	Daisies for Hades

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Superbacongirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superbacongirl/gifts).



> Prompt Inspiration: Soulmate AU, Modern Setting AU, Fluff
> 
> Written as a gift for Superbacongirl! I hope you enjoy it!

Kakashi was walking along the banks of the river, casually perusing his favorite mortal novel, when he first caught a whiff of a new and curious scent.

The land of the dead was quite dark, formed as a mighty underground cavern and lit only by the soft glow of bioluminescent fungi that sought fit to live on the damp earth. Small specks of unearthly greens and blues littered the ceiling of its cavernous space like stars, ever glowing and gentle. 

For many, the land of the dead was a land of sleep, the facsimile of stars and gentle trickle of the omnipresent flowing water a balm at the end of a long voyage.

It was not always so peaceful. Before his father had taken the title of Hades it had been a sparse, steaming place full of sulfuric clouds and burning stones. Sakumo was a gentle soul at heart, however, and had been the first to let the waters run cool along the floors of the land of the dead. When asked why he had bothered, Sakumo had told a young Kakashi, “the living had it hard enough, should their journey to rest not be peaceful?” Once the title had been passed on to Kakashi himself, he continued to cultivate the land of the dead into a gentler place, somewhere peaceful to end a long journey.

Which was why when he caught a scent on the air that was vibrant, lively, and sweet, it stood out from the underworld’s usual cool earthiness. He closed his book with a snap and a soft motion of his hand whisked it to a space in-between where it could be kept safe. He gave a sharp whistle into the darkness.

A moment later the pounding of paws on moss greeted him and Kakashi turned to see one of his spectral hellhounds sitting at the ready by his feet, tongue lolling out cutely.

“Do you smell that?” 

The hound took a few good sniffs and barked. It stood quickly on phantom feet and started at a quick pace up the river.

Kakashi followed quickly, feet stepping like shadows across the mossy floor of his realm. 

Their sprint led them to the docks where the ferryman worked. Kakashi slowed as he approached, taking in how much stronger the scent was now that he was closer.

“Charon,” Kakashi greeted.

The hooded figure in a long boat lifted their head. A toothy, skeletal smile looked back at him. “Lord Kakashi,” they nodded shallowly in response.

Kakashi glanced around, eyeing the small line of shades walking down the path to their final destination. Some of them were looking around, some had their eyes glued to the floor, a few snuck little glances over at Kakashi before averting their gaze.

Kakashi never faulted their curiosity. They had been waiting their whole lives to see him, after all. His hound wandered between them, sniffing curiously and making a few of the more nervous ones jump. Kakashi barely held back an amused chuckle. 

His hound barked once at one of the shades, stopping the line of them. Kakashi sauntered over to see what his companion had found. The shade was a jumpy thing, backing away from the hound as it sniffed, and clutching tightly to a bundle of bright flowers.

“Those are quite nice,” Kakashi said, startling the shade even more. He pointed to the small bundle for emphasis. “Where did you get those?”

“These?” The shade glanced down at them as if unaware of the crushing grasp that held them. “I woke up with them. The ferryman said I could take them with me.”

“Hmm…” Kakashi hummed, staring at the cheerful daisies that smiled up at him. Charon was usually quite particular about items that could be taken from the world above and into the land of the dead. Usually it was limited to anything that was on their person when they were sent off. Customs were different these days, Kakashi mused, the flowers must have been left at a grave.

But that usually wasn’t enough by itself to keep such cheerful living things around for the journey down the River. 

“May I see one?” Kakashi asked.

“O-of course, sir,” the shade fumbled to obey, pulling out the tallest of the remaining flowers and handing it over with a bit of forced reverence. Kakashi held it between his fingers, twirling it around. He sniffed at it once more and… 

There it was.

A hint of something a little more intentional than just a parting gift, this held a magic to it. A spell, something that sang of comfort and ease of worry. This was someone’s handiwork, a god or otherling likely cast it upon the flowers for the departed.

But whom?

“Thank you, again. Would you mind if I kept this?” Kakashi asked, waving the flower around, watching little flecks of magical essence trail off of its petals.

The shade flushed and nodded. “Yes, I mean no, I mean you’re welcome to! Sir!”

“Ah, there’s no need for the ‘sir’,” Kakashi waved the formality away. “Anyway. Pleasant journey to you all.”

The shades nodded, some quietly, some with more enthusiasm, and continued their trek down the moss-lined path.

Kakashi twirled the flower between his fingers, thinking. His hound returned to him once more with a small collection of petals, depositing them at his feet with a bark before dissipating. Apparently there were several shades with these in their grasps. The gentle magic tickled at his nose. He needed to figure out the source of these flowers. 

“Charon, I’m going topside,” Kakashi called out to his skeletal friend.

They waved a hand in his direction, far too familiar with their master’s bouts of restlessness and need for a change of scenery. 

With a fond chuckle, Kakashi pulled out his pair of round, dark sunglasses he used for the overworld. He had learned the hard way that the sun was far too harsh on his eyes without a properly enchanted barrier. The daisy he had collected took a secure place in his front breast pocket. He walked over to a small pool close to the edge of the river, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he went. 

As he stepped onto the water with barely a ripple, Kakashi let out a breath, focusing on the scent and sweetness of the magic in the flower. He breathed it in, several large breaths to catch the scent…

_There._

Soundlessly he slipped straight down into the pool, only the lingering scent of daisies trailing behind him.

There were many different ways to and from the underworld if one knew where to look. Long before Kakashi had taken up his post as its keeper, he had figured out its many secrets. One of which was the power of water in his realm. Pool, waterfall, or the wide and quiet river Styx, all had some form of magic to them with the right touch.

Kakashi focused intent on the scent, following it up and around, across fields and valleys and oceans. Eventually the dark receded and Kakashi emerged from a small pond, the surrounding park was quiet in the late afternoon except for a few startled ducks. 

He gently shook the water from his shoes and began a slow walk around towards the edge of the park. This close, he could almost feel the magic buzzing in the air around him. Not a few minutes later Kakashi found himself standing in a tidy graveyard, mismatched stones standing in rows seemed to greet him quietly.

With careful strides, Kakashi walked through the rows, admiring some of the finer craftsmanship and pausing to scratch at a stray cat lounging on a warm stone. 

After a few minutes’ perusal, he gave another sharp whistle, summoning a hound that took a more corporeal form on solid earth. He offered the daisy to the hound to sniff with a firm command, “Track.” The sharp looking shepherd sniffed a few times before trotting off towards the edge of the park.

Kakashi followed at a steady pace, curiosity building as his hound trotted on and waited for him to follow.

It was a matter of a fifteen minute walk before Kakashi was looking up at the front of the innocuous flower shop in front of him. It was charming, natural wood panels decorated the front with hand painted signs and prices. 

Beside him, his hellhound barked once before disappearing, likely returning to the underworld to be with its siblings. Kakashi watched it disappear with a soft sigh before turning back to the storefront. It almost seemed to hum with soft energy.

This was definitely the place, then.

He pushed the door open.

A bell rang above him and Kakashi found himself shivering with the small rain of soothing magic that fell across his shoulders. He looked up at the bell and found a small sprig of lavender tied to it.

“Hello, welcome in!”

A voice called from further into the shop. Kakashi followed the sound towards the back where a man was standing behind a counter, his back was turned while he stood at a workbench covered in different containers of cut flowers. As he worked, Kakashi could see a faint glow around him, especially centered around his hands as they pulled different flowers and adjusted the arrangement towering in front of him.

Kakashi took a moment to take in the man. He had richly colored skin, the kind that the light of the sun loved to kiss, stretched over toned forearms. He had longer hair that was probably fashionable these days, secured in a firm tie. He was dressed simply, in plain but comfortable looking clothes under the sunny yellow of his apron. The lord of the underworld relaxed slightly as he observed this man work, content to watch him tend to his flowers for a moment longer.

Seemingly satisfied that his arrangement would hold, the man finally turned to greet his customer with a bright smile. “Welcome! How can I help y--”

He stopped, smile falling slightly as he took in who had entered his shop.

Kakashi was dressed casually, dark jeans and a simple, black button-down shirt were fairly innocuous, even with the round, pitch-black sunglasses he wore in the overworld. It seemed, however, that this man knew he could not be a simple mortal, not with his silver hair and powerful aura.

The shopkeeper seemed to hone in on this immediately. He swallowed nervously. “Is there something I can help you with, my lord?”

Kakashi smiled faintly and held up a hand, “Ah, there’s no need for such formality. I actually came across something I think may have come from your shop.”

The man tilted his head in curiosity before Kakashi gestured to the happy little daisy poking out of his breast pocket. He seemed to recognize it by the soft flush on his face. “Um… Where did you…?”

“I am the keeper of the dead, you see,” Kakashi shrugged slightly, ignoring the shopkeeper’s open surprise at his title. “I noticed a few new arrivals carried the lovely scent of these flowers. I couldn’t help but be intrigued.”

The shopkeeper flushed darkly at that. “Ah, I’m sorry. I… thought I was being subtle about it.” He reached up and scratched at the scar that ran perfectly across his nose. Kakashi was silently pleased to see only earnestness in his expression. “I only wanted to bring those passing some comfort.”

“Because death is the end.” Kakashi nodded softly.

“No,” the man shook his head and offered a gentle smile. “Because it is a beginning.”

The lord of the dead paused for a moment. He looked at this man more closely before it finally hit him. “Ah, I know you. You are the god of spring.”

The man smiled brightly. “I am. My name is Iruka.” Soft buds of baby’s breath bloomed along his ponytail before gently falling to the ground. They glistened softly with that same magic.

Kakashi stared, fascinated. 

“And I am Kakashi, keeper of the dead and the underworld,” Kakashi introduced himself after a moment, ducking his head to avoid staring too much. “We are opposites, then. Life and death.”

“Not so,” Iruka said earnestly. He held out a hand and a small lotus appeared, bloomed from the cradle of his palm. He gestured for Kakashi to hold out his own hand and gently placed the bloom into the other’s waiting palm. Just like the blooms from Iruka’s hair, it gently shimmered, then fell in soft petals to the floor. “Life and death are not a timeline, they are a cycle. One cannot exist without the other.”

Iruka looked up at Kakashi intensely then, and it was at that moment that Kakashi realized he had been looking at the young god over the rims of his shaded glasses. He was almost taken aback at how the man seemed to glow with life. The flowers around him seemed to dance in the energy radiating from him. From his shirt pocket, the daisy seemed to reach out toward him and it took a surprising amount of effort to not reach out himself.

“I am the god of nurturing beginnings, you are the god of easing into the end,” Iruka continued, offering a kind and bright smile, his eyes dancing from Kakashi’s blood red eye to the slate gray. Iruka reached up to scratch at his scar again in a clear show of bashfulness. “I try to bless the flowers with the reminder that death is an end but also a beginning.”

“It seems to be working, for the dead at least.” Kakashi gestured lightly to the happy little daisy in his shirt pocket, still shimmering with Iruka’s magic. “Those touched by your magic are more at peace than most.”

Iruka smiled hugely at that, an unseen tension in his shoulders falling away. “I’m glad to hear that!”

Kakashi watched a small pink bloom make its home above Iruka’s ear and felt something small and warm bloom in his chest. He scratched at the back of his head for a moment, glancing around to disguise the unfamiliar feeling of a flush on his face.

Iruka watched him for a moment, before stepping just a bit closer. “Do you have many flowers in the underworld?”

Kakashi startled slightly at the question. “Ah, no. I’ve never considered bringing in something that needed natural sunlight.” He shrugged.

At that, the god of spring seemed to come alive. “Oh no! There are several varieties that prefer little to no sun! Here, come look at these--” Iruka reached forward and grabbed at Kakashi’s pale wrist, tugging gently but with insistence until the god of the underworld was being towed along behind his shimmering chauffeur. 

Iruka pointed out several different types of flowers and even a few small shrubs that preferred low light, even going into details about their care and maintenance. He spoke enthusiastically, gesturing greatly with his hands and holding up a few items for Kakashi to sniff.

As he spoke, Kakashi was enchanted by the soft blooms that sprouted and fell from Iruka’s hair, evidence of his passion for his craft. Much of what Iruka said went over his head, but he found himself invested despite himself.

By the third or fourth time Kakashi hummed his agreement of Iruka’s favorite shady plants, the spring god seemed to catch on. “Oh. Sorry, I think I got a little ahead of myself.” He laughed a nervous little thing and scratched at his scar again.

“It’s quite alright, Iruka,” Kakashi reassured him, gently reaching out to slide a finger across a plant’s broad leaf. “I’ve been trying for a while to make the underworld more… welcoming. Hopeful. Maybe... you could help me spruce up my garden.”

He turned in time to see a gentle smile on Iruka’s face, and he wondered if Iruka was as enchanted as the flowers he blessed.

A small daisy, a near twin to the one Kakashi still cradled, took life by Iruka’s smile. “It would be my pleasure.”

=x END x=

**Author's Note:**

> Self-Edited. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you liked it!
> 
> (potential chapter two incoming 👀)


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